An American Crime
by bumblebeecas
Summary: John leaves Sam with a mother to go hunting. What starts out as normal quickly turns into hell on earth for the youngest Winchester.
1. Prologue

"It's only for a few weeks."

"Why can't we go with you?"

"It's too dangerous."

"Well, why can't I just go with Dean?"

"Because Dean is hunting on his own now. He's twenty-one."

It was August and Sam Winchester was being ditched yet again by his father in favor of hunting monsters. Sam was used to it at this point, but he wasn't used to being left at some random woman's house. Sure, he had been left with Uncle Bobby and Pastor Jim at times, but most of the time Dean was in charge and they were left to their own devices in a motel room. This time seemed to be the exception, since Dean was apparently on his own for the foreseeable future.

"It's not too long," Sam argued, looking down at his father since he had t hit his expected growth spurt. At age seventeen, he'd been getting into arguments with his father since middle school.

"It is if I say so, Sam."

The woman, a Sarah Miller, was standing near, watching the two bid their farewells. She had six children of her own, ranging from nineteen to one. She really didn't need to extra mouths, but she did need the money and John Winchester's promised forty dollars a week was too good to pass up.

"I have to go now. I'll be back in September, okay?"

Sam didn't say anything, just gripped his duffle bag tightly, meeting John's eyes solemnly.

"Okay. We'll see you in September," Sam said at last.

"Don't worry, he'll be taken care of," Sarah ensured, though Sam wasn't sure which party she was talking to.

John nodded curtly in a Marine type of way and left, the chipped front door closing softly behind him. Sam looked over to Sarah, a sad look on his face.

"Well," Sarah said, smiling and walking towards the teen. "Why don't you go upstairs and settle in?"


	2. Chapter 1

"What's your name?"

Sam looked over from his duffle, his hazel eyes meeting blue ones. It was a girl around ten hanging off one of the many beds in the room (although the boy's room was smaller due to there only being four boys sleeping in beds, counting the Winchesters, in the house).

"Um. I'm Sam."

The girl smiled wide, jumping off the bed to come closer to Sam. "I'm Eva! I'm nine!"

Sam nodded distractedly. He wasn't a big fan of kids and didn't really know how to act around them. He was still a little pissed about having to stay in a strange house with strange people. Dean was an adult, he could easily take care of Sam and still hunt. It wasn't like Sam was five anymore.

"Eva! Come down here please!" Sarah called from the first floor, which sent the younger girl running down, passing one of Sarah's sons on the way. He smirked, entering the room. "Got a girlfriend already, Sam? I'd stay clear of her," he joked.

"Ha, good one," Sam said dead-pan, giving the kid the award-winning Winchester Bitch Face. He just kept smirking, moving over to the bed right next to Sam's where his own duffle was.

"It'll be okay, Sam. You know? Your dad probably wants some womanly influence in your live or something."

Sam didn't respond, he just kept running his hands through his folded T-shirts.

"I'm serious, Sam. Hey, look at the bright side. Maybe you'll make some friends, finally kiss a girl-"

"Shut up I've kissed!" Sam interjected, blushing.

"Yeah, okay. Enjoy it."

Sam smiled at his kid as he left the room. He was right. Sam had longed to stay in one place long enough to make friends, but was often disappointed when John dragged him to some other state and town. Maybe this was really for the best.

**wWw**

"Who would like to say Grace tonight?"

Everyone was around the small kitchen table that night, with only a simple sandwich in front of them to eat. Sam tried not to judge, but he knew Dean could do better.

"I will," Jim, Sarah's twelve-year-old son said.

Everyone grabbed each other's hands to pray, making the Winchester boy a bit uncomfortable. Sarah noticed this right away, like a hawk going in for the kill.

"Do you not pray?"

"Um, no ma'am, not usually. Maybe when it's been a hard day," Sam joked a bit, but no one was smiling.

"Well, under this roof you pray every day. You'll also be expected to attend church with us. Now, let's say Grace."

Sam allowed for his hands to be taken by Stephanie, the nineteen-year-old, and Cara, the sixteen-year-old. They kept giving Sam weird looks at him, which was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

That couldn't be helped, it seemed.

**wWw**

Sam laid in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the soft snores of Jim and Henry. Baby Jamie, the one-year-old, was downstairs in the living room where Sarah slept.

"Dean?" Sam asked into the cell phone that John had specifically said was for emergencies only. "Are you awake?"

"No," Dean said sleepily, as he was trying his best to fall asleep somewhere in Idaho.

"Dean, please?"

Dean sighed. "Yes, Samuel?"

"I'm get weird vibes from this family."

"What ya mean 'weird vibes?'" Dean asked, sitting up in bed as the phone balanced against his ear and shoulder.

"Like... I dunno, I feel like Sarah and Cara and Stephanie don't like me all that much."

Dean chuckled. "But Sam, you're a delight to be around."

"Dude, if you're not gonna take me seriously-"

"No, Sam, I am. I just don't see it. And Dad wouldn't have left you in the hands of some monster. So you've got nothing to worry around Sammy. As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you."

_But you're not around_, Sam thought bitterly.


	3. Chapter 2

Two weeks had passed and the second check was late.

School was starting soon and the children needed books. Sarah knew she didn't have the funds on her own and was counting on John Winchester's 40 dollars, especially if she wanted to put food on the table. She shuffled through the mail a third time, in case she had missed the envelope, but there was no check.

"Sam. Get in here," Sarah called from the living room. She head the sound of footsteps come down the stairs to meet her. She rubbed her face, finally looking over at Sam, who had arrived.

"The check didn't come in," Sarah said, glaring at the Winchesters.

"Dad just must be late," Sam started. "Or maybe it got stuck in the mail."

"You know what I think?" Sarah asked, standing from the couch. "I think I took care of you little _bitch_ for a week for nothing."

"No, ma'am, Dad's just late!" Sam said in a small voice. Sarah looked over at him. He was taller than her. He looked scared, that she could tell.

"I think you brat need to be punished," Sarah said, ignoring her children who peaked out from behind the railing to watch what would happen. "I don't think your daddy ever gave you the right discipline."

Sam said nothing. He was watching Sarah as she folded the fake leather belt. Sarah noticed fear in his hazel eyes and reveled at that.

The children came down from the stairs, knowing what needed to be done. Grab Sam.

"Hey, get off!" Sam yelled as Jim and Henry, the fourteen-year-old, grabbed Sam from behind.

The boys, though being younger than Sam, were strong and had taken the youngest Winchester brother by surprise.

"I think ten lashes, don't you Stephanie?"

The girl nodded.

"Sam," Cara said, glaring at the younger boy, who was now being held down by the two girls who seemed to hate his guts for no obvious reason.

Sarah walked over to Sam. He was trying to wiggle free, but the sisters had him pinned down on his stomach.

"Pull his pants and briefs down, Cara."

"No! Stop!" Sam cried.

Cara pulled off Sam's khaki shorts and blue briefs, letting them cascade in a puddle around his ankles.

"Please," Sam finally said, turning his head to lock eyes with Sarah, who showed no mercy.

She brought the belt down and Sam howled in pain.


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello. Just a quick note before this chapter starts (don't worry, I don't do this often). If you haven't realized by now, this fic is based off the murder Sylvia Likens. Why I'm now stating this is because we are going to get into some really graphic things that actually happened to a sixteen year old girl. Now, you can choose to look up Sylvia Likens and see what's in store for Sam and Dean, or you can save yourself the suspense. This is just a good old fashioned trigger warning, because this fic is based on real and horrific events. If you are interested in anything else about the murder of Sylvia Likens, may I recommend 1) Her Wikipedia 2) The movie An American Crime (wow just like the fic lol) and 3) the movie The Girl Next Door. An American Crime is the true story while The Girl Next Door is based on a novel that was based on the case, but I recommend it nevertheless. These aren't, like, Serbian Film level disturbing, but they're not happy tales, so just a little warning. If you feel you can't stomach that (which I doubt because you're reading this fic) then I recommend watching Spooky Rice's breakdowns of them on YouTube. Okay, I've taken up enough of your precious reading time. Let's get into the chapter!**

**wWw**

School had started and the check had come in, so Sam could finally distract himself from what Sarah had done. He knew he should tell Dean, but he wasn't sure if he would get caught and beat even more. His father had never hurt him that way. Despite his Marine background, John Winchester's approach was to sit down and talk to his children like humans rather than beat them.

Sam could only notice how Cara and Stephanie just didn't like him at all.

It was Monday. Sam had been attending the combined middle and high school for a week already. Sam was glad for the distraction of what went on under Sarah's roof. He was in the library after school reading and waiting for Dean to call him when Stephanie and Cara walked in.

The youngest Winchester really didn't know what he had done to royally piss off the elder girls, but it must've been something because once their eyes met Sam's, they sneered.

"What're you doing?" Cara asked in an unpleasant tone.

"Reading," Sam said softly.

Stephanie shoved the book away and Sam watched as it landed on the carpet with a soft _thunk_.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but-"

Sam was cut off by Cara shoving the younger boy. Sam almost fell from the chair, but caught himself by grabbing the table.

"Do we really need a reason?"

**wWw**

It turns out, they did. It was a petty reason, sure, but it was a reason. Cara and Stephanie were jealous of Sam.

The two sisters noticed how Sam fit in with a lot of the girls in his grade and even some of the older boys. A few of the girls were flirting, but they mostly just hung out. The guys thought Sam was so cool and so nice and Stephanie hated that. So did Cara, but she was more so just following what Stephanie did.

It wasn't like Sam was interested in dating, so the girls and him usually just studied during lunch. Stephanie always noticed his little girlfriends following him and decided something on the Monday after something major.

**wWw**

"How the hell are you pregnant?!" Cara asked.

"Shh!" Stephanie whispered, the pregnancy test still in her hands and still positive. "I have to tell Mike before everyone at school finds out and calls me a slut!"

"You're not a slut," Cara said.

"Well duh."

The door to the bathroom was only open a crack, but as Sam passed he could hear hushed voices. Curious, he inched towards the door, peeking in. His eyes widened when he saw the pregnancy test in Stephanie's hand.

"Hey!"

Sam jumped back as the door slammed open, Cara and Stephanie glaring at Sam.

"Were you spying on us?!" Cara yelled.

"What? No, I was just-"

Stephanie noticed Sam's eyes shift to the test and became red. "Oh, you little shit!"

Cara shoved Sam away roughly as the two exited the bathroom and left towards their room. Sam didn't know what to do so he stayed against the wall.

"Hey, you okay? I heard yelling," Jim said, climbing the stairs.

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

**wWw**

"Sam is evil," Stephanie cried to her mother that night as the two sat on the couch.

"Why do you say that?" Sarah asked, smoking away despite the infant in the room.

Stephanie put her plan into action. "He's spreading rumors about me at school."

Sarah stopped smoking, letting the cigarette fall into the ash tray. "He's what?"

"He's calling me a slut and telling everyone I'm pregnant and it's not true! I haven't even done it yet! And he has the audacity to call me a slut?! I bet he's done it, just look at him! All the girls at school love him, I bet he's screwed them all by now!" Stephanie sobbed into her mother's blouse.

Sarah rubbed her daughter's head, pure anger coursing through her veins. How dare some kid come in and start rumors about her baby, after everything she did for the brat and his brother?

"Shh, it's okay. Momma's gonna sort this in the morning, okay baby?"

"Okay mom," Stephanie said, smirking into her mother's shoulder.


	5. Chapter 4

Sam woke up the next morning to Sarah calling him from the living room downstairs. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with his fists, swinging his feet out from under the blanket and onto the cold wooden floor.

He treaded down the stairs where the entire family waited, watching his every move closely.

"Is something wrong?" Sam asked hesitantly, feeling as if he was on trial.

"Yes, Sam. Something is wrong. You've been spreading vicious rumors about Stephanie, haven't you?"

Sam furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "No, ma'am, I haven't. This must be some sort of misunderstanding."

"Are you calling my daughter a liar?" Sarah said sharply, narrowing her eyes at the young man.

"What? No, I'm not! I'm just saying that there must be a-"

"You're telling the whole school I'm a slut and that I'm pregnant!" Stephanie fake-cried.

"It's true! I heard him talking to all the girls he hangs out with at lunch about it!" Cara joined in.

"No, I would never say something like that!" Sam interjected, backing away slightly from the angry family, who was now all recounting the times they had found Sam supposedly gossiping about Stephanie.

"Why would I lie, huh?" Stephanie ask, walking up to Sam in a threatening manner.

"I don't know? Maybe because you really are pregnant and you don't want everyone to know?"

That was the wrong thing to say, Sam figured that one out quickly as Sarah stood quickly from the armchair she was sat in to race over to the seventeen-year-old and slap him hard across the face, dazing him slightly.

"You little snake! You have some nerve! The way the girls talk, it sounds like you're making your rounds around the town, fucking as many things with pussies as you see fit!"

Sam was taken aback by this woman's vulgar talk. "No ma'am! No, I would never-"

He was slapped roughly again for his efforts.

"Take him to the basement."

Sam, with his hands against his cheeks weakly, didn't notice until too late that the boys had grabbed him and were dragging him towards the basement door. Sam thrashed around, trying to get loose to no avail.

The boys continued to drag Sam down the old wooden staircase. When they got to the bottom, the boys threw Sam onto a dirty mattress set up in the corner. They attached the thick metal cuff to Sam's ankle, making sure he could not move more than about a foot and a half.

Jim, with a murderous look in his eyes, kicked Sam roughly in the face, sending his head flying against the cement basement wall, cracking open and beginning to bleed down Sam's shaggy hair.

"That's for my sister, you bastard!" Jim yelled, spitting on him before turning to leave with the others.

Sam was left alone in the cold, dark basement, wishing he had called Dean on his way home from school the other day.

**wWw**

Something didn't seem right.

Call it a sixth sense, call it Spidey Sense, call it whatever you'd like, Dean Winchester knew when things were wrong, especially with his little brother.

Sam might have been all the way in Illinois, but Dean could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, as if warning him.

In that moment, Idaho and Illinois seemed galaxies away to Dean.

He considered getting into the Impala and driving out at once to the address his father had left him with in case Sam needed something, but thought better of it. John would want him to finish this hunt up at least, and he had just found nearly all the information on the ghoul he needed.

Dean made a deal with himself. He would go get Sam after the hunt, despite what his father had said. Dean never thought leaving Sam with a woman for over a month was a good idea, even if John had argued that Sam needed some female presence in his life or whatever bullshit he had come up with.

Sam needed Dean.


	6. Chapter 5

It was impossible to tell time. The windows were dusty and thick even without the rotting wood nailed across them and there was no clock or really anything that could measure the passing of time. It was quiet, only the sounds of the foundation settling and the wind blowing against the weak pannels. Every once in a while there would be the scratching of rat nails from inside the walls, though Sam tried to ignore those noises.

It had been a day, though Sam didn't know that. No one had come down to feed him or release him to use the bathroom, so he sat in soiled jeans that clung to his irritated thighs. All he could smell was urine, sweat, and blood, mixing together in his nose to form a terrible stench. Though, he had gotten used to it.

The only thing on Sam's mind was his older brother. He prayed that Dean was on his way to rescue him, though that was an illogical thought to have. Dean was states and states away. There was no reason he would think that something awful had happened to the youngest Winchester. Dean would stay in Idaho or wherever else he ended up until Sam's month was up.

_A month seemed like eternity now_, Sam thought as he shivered, the basement's coldness going right through his torn T-Shirt.

The youngest Winchester tried again to no avail to pull the thick chain from the wall. It was strong and held on, just like all the other times he had tried. All it succeeded in doing was irritating the skin around Sm's ankle, making it bleed. He had tried clawing at the plaster where the metal was attached to the wall, but he had only broken fingernails and made his hands ache. It was pointless, but John Winchester had not taught his sons to give up at the first sign of struggle. But Sam was so weak and so tired and all he wanted was for his older brother to embracing him in a hug so he could smell the old leather of his jacket, the musky smell of his aftershave, and the residue of gunpowder and a bit of cinnamon. That was Dean. Sam wanted Dean.

**WwW**

The door to the basement opened after day two. Sam blinked his eyes warily, the light shining from the opening hurting them since they had grown accustomed to the dark. Down the stairs came Jim, his feet sounding like thunder against the old wooden steps. In his hands were a bowl and cup. Sam perked his head up, watching the boy closely.

"Wouldn't want the animals to starve," the boy said off-handily, roughly putting the food and drink on the floor by the dirty mattress, the contents sloshing out a bit.

Sam quickly acted, looking to see what was in the bowl. It was a sort of soup, very thin and lacking many nutrients. Sam gulped it down quickly, no spoon present. The soup was quickly gone and Sam moved on to the water, sipping it quickly.

The glass was taken away from him when it was almost finished. Sam longed to drink the rest of the water, but Jim had other plans. He picked up the dishes, glaring down at Sam.

"You are just like an animal, aren't you? You have no control, you piss all over yourself. You're disgusting."

The boy gave a hard kick to Sam's stomach, making him keel over, his arms wrapped protectively around the hurting area. The substance in his stomach lurched and Sam vomited what he had just consumed, almost hitting Jim, who jumped back disgusted.

"You're disgusting! You're revolting! Clean that up!"

Sam didn't know what to do. He didn't have a rag or water to clean the area. He looked expectingly at Jim. His eyes were the color of fury and Sam could see the evil is soul possessed.

"Lick it up, like the dog you are. Go on."

Sam had no choice but to consume the food for a second time, this version much nastier.


	7. Chapter 6

The vampire hunt was a cakewalk, considering it was his very first solo hunt. The only problem Dean seemed to still have was the cleanup. God, he hated the cleanup. He had always had help cleaning up. John had left the cleanup to the brothers once Sam had hit an age old enough to bury a body. The two Winchester had always made a game out of it. Dean would quiz Sam on things for school, like vocabulary for English or facts about World War II for American History.

Now Dean was alone. Sam was with some lady and John was off doing God knows what. There was a hole in Dean's chest that he didn't know was empty until just now. He hadn't felt this way since Sam and John had gone on that camping trip alone three years ago. Dean had been jealous at first, but he eventually had just wanted to see his little brother again.

Soon, everything was buried and washed away as if it had never happened. Dean brushed his hands together as if dusting them off and then proceeded to grab his worn duffel bag from the grass. He began his walk from the burial ground to the Impala. Idaho would be ion his rearview mirror soon.

And soon, Sam would be riding shotgun as Dean played his tapes horribly loud.

**WwW**

The next day, Sam was back at school. No teachers asked where he had been for the past two days. Nobody asked why he had burns on his wrists or why he had a black eye. No one cared and that was a hard realization for the youngest Winchester. His entire life he had been around people who had cared. Sure, John left a lot, but he still wanted to know how school was and if he had any friends. And Dean, well Dean had put Sam first his entire life. There wasn't a problem in the world that Sam couldn't tell Dean about.

He wished his big brother was here this very instant. Dean would know what to do. Dean would patch up his injuries and would get him the hell out of the house. He would never make Sam see those psycho people ever again.

But Dean wasn't here. Dean wasn't there to do everything Sam counted on him doing.

And that hurt.

Sam walked down the hall, ignoring a few whispers that seemed to follow him everywhere he went. He turned, entering the boy's bathroom to throw some water on his face.

Instead, he was met by a very tall student who looked extremely angry.

Sam was just about to politely ask the man to move when he was grabbed by his hair, pulling him roughly into the bathroom.

"So you're the bitch that's been spreading rumors about my girlfriend," the tall man said, glaring down at Sam, who had been thrown to the ground.

"What? No, I-I haven't-"

"Shut up!" A kick was delivered to Sam's stomach, causing him to cry out.

"How dare you speak of Stephanie that way! When I'm through with you, you'll never say a damn word again!"


End file.
